Stages

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Stages Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau and stock to the foundation piles, building each foundation in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Standard 52-card deck, thoroughly shuffled.
• Tableau: Seven columns arranged from left to right:
• The 1st column: 1 card (face up).
• The 2nd column: 2 cards (top card face up, rest face down).
• The 3rd column: 3 cards (top card face up, rest face down).
• Continue this pattern until the 7th column, which has 7 cards (top card face up, rest face down).
• Stock: The remaining 24 cards are placed face down in a single pile above the tableau.
• Waste (Talon): An area next to the stock where cards from the stock are placed face up when drawn and not immediately playable.
• Foundations: Four empty spaces above the tableau, one for each suit, where cards will be built up from Ace to King.
• Face Orientation: Only the top card of each tableau column is face up; all other tableau cards are face down. All stock cards are face down until drawn.

Stages Solitaire Rules:

• Foundations: Build up by suit in ascending order, starting with Ace and ending with King.
• Tableau Building: Build down in alternating colors (red on black, black on red) and in descending rank (e.g., 8♠ on 9♥).
• Only face-up cards are eligible for movement.
• Sequences of cards in correct descending order and alternating colors may be moved as a unit between tableau columns.
• Stock & Waste: Draw cards from the stock pile:
• Typically, draw one card at a time (some variations allow three at a time). The drawn card is placed face up in the waste pile.
• Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play to tableau or foundations.
• When the stock is exhausted, the waste pile may be turned over (without shuffling) to form a new stock, depending on house rules.
• Moving Cards:
• Cards can be moved from tableau to tableau, tableau to foundation, or waste to tableau/foundation if the move follows the building rules.
• Only Kings (or valid King-led sequences) may be moved to empty tableau spaces.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, the player may:
• Move eligible face-up cards within the tableau according to building rules.
• Move cards from tableau or waste to the foundations if they follow suit and ascending order.
• Draw a card from the stock to the waste pile and play it if possible.
• Turn over the next face-down card in a tableau column when the face-up card is moved away.
• If no moves are available in the tableau or foundations, draw from the stock.
• If the stock is depleted, recycle the waste pile (if the rules permit) to form a new stock.
• The game continues until all cards are moved to the foundations or no further moves are possible.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: All 52 cards are successfully moved to the foundation piles, each built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Lose: No legal moves remain and the stock cannot be recycled (or all recycling opportunities are exhausted, depending on house rules).
• The game is also unwinnable if the player gives up or if the tableau and waste cannot be further manipulated to progress.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Tableau Spaces: Only a King (or a valid sequence starting with a King) can be placed in an empty tableau column.
• Turning Over Cards: When the top face-up card of a tableau pile is moved, immediately turn the next card in that pile face up.
• Stock Recycling: Some variants allow unlimited recycling of the waste pile back into the stock, while others limit this action, increasing difficulty.
• Multi-Card Moves: Sequences of cards in descending order and alternating colors may be moved as a group between tableau columns.
• No Moves: If no moves are possible and the stock cannot be recycled, the game ends in a loss.

Note: If "Stages Solitaire" refers to a variant with additional unique mechanics not covered by standard Klondike rules, please provide the specific variant details for further clarification. The above guide is based on the most widely recognized ruleset matching the description of "Stages Solitaire" as found in official and reputable sources.